Games And Activities
In the library
- Orienteering in the library (using floorplan and compass)
- Read on the wild side dominoes. There are some great ideas in this photo gallery
- Monkey Hunt- Create a jungle scene with crepe paper leaves and lianas hanging from the ceiling. Hide cardboard pictures of monkeys (with names) around the library- the children have to find all of the monkeys and write their names on a monkey finder sheet.
- Tongue twister challenge- Print tongue twisters on slips of paper. Fold the papers and put them into a large bowl. Let the children take turns drawing a paper fromo the bowl and reading the tongue twister aloud.
- Circle storytelling- Sit in a circle with the children. Start a story by saying "Once upon a time, there was a __________." The first child continues the story for a few sentences or minutes and then passes the storytelling to the next child. Each person takes up the story in turn. The last person has to give the story a conclusion.
- Adapt familiar games eg. animal bingo, pin the tail on the donkey - pin the tail on the lion, jungle twister (kids have to stay in character as an animal while playing), life sized snakes and ladders, celebrity heads - animal heads
- Animal sounds contest http://www.birthdayinabox.com/party-ideas/guidesdetails.asp-aseq-72-bgs-6-dept_id--lk-9116-id-1154
- Hippos in the mud game http://www.birthdayinabox.com/party-ideas/guidesdetails.asp-aseq-71-bgs-6-dept_id--lk-9115-id-1154
- Basic sewing activity- make a monster 'plushie' with felt, coloured thread and buttons (use scraps of felt for teeth etc.)
- If you can't have a petting zoo in the library you could try a “Musical Instrument Petting Zoo” like the Arlington Heights (Ill.) Memorial Library, when kids had the opportunity to touch, feel, and experiment with four instruments under the guidance of professional musicians.
- Walk on the wildside - decorate the footpaths outside the library with chalks
- Facepainting - zoo animal faces
- Wild about waste - turn waste into artworks; invite council's enviro team to talk about recycling
Let's get this party started [launch and wrap up party ideas]
- Jungle animals / Zoo animals party ideas
On the library website
- Listen to animal sounds
- Animal sounds from Tiddalick the frog